Higher Bid How to Transform Special Event Fundraising with Strategic Auctions

A Higher Bid offers nonprofit leaders, board members, educators, auctioneers, and volunteers a hands-on guide that shows how their organizations can transform their lackluster benefit auctions into events that inspire an ongoing culture of giving. Written by Kathy Kingston-award-winning consultant, fundraiser, speaker, and professional auctioneer-this important resource introduces the author's unique auction philanthropy model that uses auctions as a springboard for greater fundraising opportunities and long-term donor engagement.

The author includes the questions to ask to help a nonprofit determine if an auction is the right fundraiser for their organization and reveals how the stakeholders and auctioneer can take on new and dynamic leadership roles. However, there is more to a successful auction than meets the eye. Consistently raising large amounts of money requires a multi-pronged strategic fundraising approach. Kingston defines the five pillars that define a strategic benefit auction: Find out what matters most to supporters; Invite them in; Inspire them to fall in love with your organization; Give them reasons to stay in love with your forever; and Invest in what counts and ignore the rest. By adopting Kingston's strategic design for an auction event, a nonprofit can create a unique blueprint that will target audience development and attract high-profit auction items. This unique approach incorporates techniques that communicate donor-centric marketing, has a method for measuring impact, and integrates the use of new technologies.

Step by step, A Higher Bid explores the proven methods that can be put into place when conducting an auction and other fundraising events. Kingston's approach gives nonprofit leaders a sure-fire strategy for inspiring an entire community of dedicated champions to rally around their cause. Once in place, this powerful group of energized supporters will give to an organization's cause year after year.

Using A Higher Bid as a roadmap, charitable and educational organizations can leverage the latest innovations in benefit auction strategies and technology to achieve record-breaking results and create a community of long-time supporters.

From the Foreword...

"Kathy's strategies led us to our unprecedented success in our fundraising event. In two short years, we went from $700,000 to $4 million. Now, through A Higher Bid, Kathy is sharing her game changing wisdom with you the reader."
Maureen Cottingham and Honore Comfort, Co-Directors, Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction

Additional Praise For A HIGHER BID

"What a gem of a book. A Higher Bid is a great resource for nonprofit administrators, development professionals, schools, board members, volunteers and donors."
Lynn Sobel, Lynn Sobel & Associates, Full-Circle Philanthropy Development Consulting

"I was inspired by reading A Higher Bid. Kathy Kingston opens up the notion of the event becoming a centerpiece of donor engagement in the philanthropy cycle of the organization."
Jack Good, Vice President, Peoples United Bank, Former Chairman of the Association for Health Care Philanthropy and New England Association for Healthcare Philanthropy

"This year alone, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) raised $500K in new money from new donors by implementing Kathy's strategies at events across the country. Readers of A Higher Bid can use these same strategies and tools Kathy taught us to drive revenue... We are no longer standing in the back of the room with our fingers crossed."
Kristin Kaplan, National Director of Special Events, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America